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Charley
Charley is a large fortress town that serves as the administrative capital for the province of the Marches in the extreme south of the Kingdom of Grostere, dedicated to defending the kingdom from threats from the southern mountains and wandering giants from the Falkanah Plains. History Pelor's Glory For more on this event, see here During Pelor's Glory, when the Seethe-Tenshackle Alliance ravaged southern Etan, a counter alliance of the states in the region united against the Sirithi and goblins and began an offensive in the current site of Charley. The town was built by the cousin of then King Sanctus I, Lord Charley who led the fledgling kingdom's armies in the war. After the threat from the south began to diminish Charley became a centre for military training and the war torn land was transformed into some of the richest farmland in the kingdom. Long Night For more on this event, see here. During the reign of king Solrei IV, the town of Charley gained a reputation as being warmongering as well as overtly aggressive towards other states. The main enemy that the fortress town had to contend with was the occasional wandering giant exiled from his fellow herdsmen and making a nuisance of themselves. Divine Era For more on this event, see here. During the War in the Silence, Charley was the site of the so called True Grostere, a group of loyalists that sought to place Prince Dafin, heir apparent to the Sun Throne, as the new regent of Grostere. Gathering support from much of the sudden half of the Kingdom, Charley led a rebellion against King Solrei and his evil advisors with the newly crowned King Sanctus leading them. Following the defeat of the Usurper, Charley was given a place of great honour in Grostere, with many great knights receiving gifts of land and wealth from the new king whose rule was secured by the nobility of this province. Structure Duke of Charley The ruler of Charley is the Duke or Duchess of the region who is said to speak with the voice of the King himself, and only the orders of the Monarch themselves able to overrule the Duke's, akin to the privileges of a prince. The Duke is located in Charley town where he holds his court. Marqs of Charley Below the Duke are the Marqs who serve as local lords in the smaller garrison towns and villages of the Charley region, they usually high ranking members of the various Knightly Orders. Knightly Orders Charley is home to a multitude of knightly orders that have flocked to the region for its militant nature and role as bastion against the threats from the south. These would be comprised of the nobles of the region, though they are a far different breed to the nobles of the north who live in lavish homes and attend the court for their lord's favour. Politics The Duke's Court Though the Duke seldom holds court unless he is entertaining guests or he has to present some decree by the King, preferring instead to hold informal gatherings in command tents or whilst having dinner so as not to waste time. The current Duke, Perri, has a reputation as being a no-nonsense and pragmatic man, disliking the politics and manoeuvring found elsewhere in the kingdom and taking great pleasure in the manoeuvring of troops and cavalry across battlefields. The Marq' Court Like their Duke, the Marq of Charley are rarely found in their administration buildings if they can help it, spending the majority of their time in training or ranging about the region personally searching for brigands. If a citizen of Grostere had an issue they wished to raise they would either have to await their lord's return or try and find them as the roam the countryside. Some more forward thinking Marqs might leave behind some representative (usually their significant other) for their people to turn to in their absence. The Farmers' Union Forming mainly in areas where the local Marq is often absent from his court, the Farmer's Union is a collective of land owners in the Charley region that have grouped together to provide support to its members in times of crisis. The group has evolved to also petition lords on issues that its members seek to raise and even co-operate with some of the knightly orders to provide protection in areas left undefended by the Duke. Military Knightly Orders A great number of knightly orders can be found in Charley, with many people drawn to lifestyle of the knight bound to the local land and becoming part of the political system. Knights are held in very high regard in Charley, as they are in the rest of the Kingdom and are called Crusaders, though these are those usually associated with the Church of Truth, though the name has spread to mean a Grostere Knight in general. They are divided into different orders or chapter houses. Chapter of the Land The Order of the Land is devoted to the protection of the citizens of the Kingdom of Grostere, protecting the vulnerable that living in between urban centres. This order often has a somewhat ramshackled look to its knights, making do with whatever they can get rather than relying on a centralised authority to provide them with equipment. Chapter of the Shield Though quite similar to the Order of the Land, the Order of the Shield are found wherever the common folk of Charley have settled, including the towns and villages of the region. They would devote their time between acting as local arbitrators in disputes and dealing with roaming monsters that wander too close to inhabited lands. Chapter of the Lion The Order of the Lion has sworn an oath to defend the lands of the King, with the Duke usually being a member of this Order himself. They are usually the elite of the various orders, armed with the best gear and outfitted with the finest weapons. Chapter of the Penitent When someone is found guilty of a crime in Charley they are presented with a choice, face the punishment of their crime or join the Order of the Penitent. This order is comprised of former thieves, brigands and all other sorts of reformed criminals who have seen the error of their ways. With this second chance the order devotes itself to capturing wrongdoers and lawbreakers to the appropriate authorities, having no powers over the judicial system like most other orders. Chapter of the Sun An offshoot of of the Crusader, the Order of the Sun has devoted itself to the protection of the Church of Truth in Charley. This order would protect pilgrims and those within the Church's charge as well as the physical church buildings themselves. Chapter of the Sword This is the largest order in Charley and the most broad in terms of edicts, holding a general code of chivalry, honour and charity. Members of this order make up the rank and file of the cavalry of Charley and have earned their place in the history of the region as the greatest protectors. Night Watches Night Watches are local militias that are under the guidance of a knightly order, usually in areas under-protected by a Marq. These groups are also tasked with manning the watchtowers around the region, lighting beacons to warn of various dangers in particular areas. Border Garrisons Border garrisons are villages found along the Falkanah Plains (where the best pasture land is found) that have been established by Marqs to collaborate on defence. Their defences are usually constructed out of wood around the stone watchtowers and serve as the first line of defence against any incursion from the south. Society Militarism Charley is a highly militarised society, with the qualities of chivalry and honour held highly in the towns and villages of the region. The opinion of a knight is sought on various matters, whether major life decisions or personal concerns a knight can quickly turn from a defender on the edge of society to the centre of life in a community. Warning Systems Throughout Charley there are a series of watchtowers built from the wreckage of towns and villages destroyed in the Seethe-Tenshackle invasion. Each one is visible to the surrounding towers and have been provided with various coloured flames to signal different things and flags to provide further details. Farmers Farming has become a very large industry in Charley, with little to no aid beyond defence from the Duke and Marqs a thriving cattle industry has appeared in the south of Charley, with the beef produced by these animals renowned for its taste. Dairy is also a large industry in the region but its is more a local product while its beef is exported throughout the Kingdom. Horses from Charley have been breed to hold the heavily armoured knights of the region whilst providing a sudden burst of speed to charge. They are quite intelligent, able to understand simple commands and instructions after some training. Religion The Ten Gods of Etan The Ten Gods of Etan are firmly established in Charley as the primary religion, with their being little to no alternative offered in most communities. Three gods stand out from the pantheon in Charley; Pelor, Tempus and Solonar. Pelor Pelor's presence is found mainly in the urban centres of the Charley region, with the established Church having a presence in the towns and villages. Tempus Tempus is popular amongst the knightly orders of Charley, especially the Order of the Sword. Solonar Solonar is worshipped by the farmers and rural folk of Charley, with his aspect of being a tamer of the wild appreciated by those living in land reclaimed for farm use. Category:Location Category:Settlement Category:Grostere